Vitaly Klyachko, Ph.D.

The long-term goal of Klyahcko’s lab is to understand mechanisms of synaptic transmission at central synapses, including details of spatiotemporal dynamics under normal conditions, and the specific malfunctions that lead to disease states such as Fragile X syndrome (FXS). This work is important, because FXS is the most common known cause of heritable intellectual disability and autism. Research in the lab entails probing and tracking dynamic presynaptic processes in living tissue by applying novel, nanoscale resolution imaging technology. Among other work, the lab will visualize processes at the level of single synaptic vesicles, seeking to address the contribution of presynaptic deficits in the pathophysiology of Fragile X syndrome.